Man arrested for Joe Manchin threats

A man was arrested Friday for allegedly making violent threats toward West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, according to a federal criminal complaint that was unsealed Monday.

U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin on Monday announced the arrest of the West Virginia man, Steven Anthony Major, 49, who allegedly made at least three calls to Manchin’s Capitol Hill office and his office in Charleston, W.Va. According to the criminal complaint, Major identified himself on the calls and made several violent threats to Manchin and the senator’s family.

Text Size

-

+

reset

An investigation was conducted by both the FBI and the West Virginia State Police.

The criminal complaint, which includes an affidavit from an FBI agent, estimates that the calls were placed from at least March 17 to about March 20. It also states that although the calls were placed from a blocked number, law enforcement traced it to a cellphone registered to Major, whose voice was recognized by Manchin staffers.